Lifesize ‘Huddles Up’ with Freemium Offer

One of the persistent obstacles to the videoconferencing market has been low (but rising) adoption rates. In an effort to boost adoption, Lifesize and other companies have been attracting enterprises of all sizes with easy-to-implement solutions, interoperability, and free user licenses.

 

The shift to a freemium model is a way to “meet [users] where they are,” said Michael Helmbrecht, COO for Lifesize, during a No Jitter briefing. Teams and individuals are wanting to "self-experiment" with videoconferencing, particularly with the rise of huddle spaces within the enterprise.

 

Toward that end, Lifesize has introduced a freemium version of its Dash solution for small meeting spaces.

 

Launched a year ago, Lifesize designed Dash as a way "for customers to try room-based video and expand room-based video to more people and more spaces," Helmbrecht said. "Software-based room kits are a really great way to get people going when they're new to bringing video to meeting spaces," he added.

 

Previously, Lifesize charged $500 a year for Dash. Now, with its new licensing model, Lifesize users can implement Dash to Chromebox or Windows PC-based room kits, with Mac room kit support coming next year, free of charge. With each free Dash license, organizations can register one meeting room to the Lifesize cloud service. The freemium version of Dash is currently available to new and existing Lifesize customers, Lifesize said.

 

Features of Lifesize’s Dash videoconferencing solution include the ability to schedule or group video calls with up to 25 participants (sites), native interoperability, and support for incoming calls from external SIP/H.323 meeting room endpoints at no additional charge, Lifesize said.

 

Another way providers are attracting prospective customers to videoconferencing is by making the experience easy to use. In a move to give greater control to users, Lifesize also made a series of enhancements to its Room Controller app.

 

With the updated app, meeting hosts and participants can “leave their laptops at their desk,” allowing them to use the Room Controller app to facilitate and manage their Dash meetings, Lifesize said. Some of the app features include camera controls, at-a-glance calendar views, one-touch joins, and other collaboration features.